Copper Mountain (Colorado)

Copper Mountain
View of Copper Mountain base area
Location	White River National Forest Summit County, Colorado, USA
Nearest city	Frisco, Colorado
Coordinates	39°30′06″N 106°09′23″W / 39.50167°N 106.15639°W / 39.50167; -106.15639 (Copper Mountain)
Top elevation	12,313 feet (3,753 m)
Base elevation	9,712 feet (2,960 m)
Skiable area	2,465 acres (9.98 km2)
Runs	125 total 21% beginner 25% intermediate 36% advanced 18% expert
Lift system	22 total (5 high-speed chairs, 10 chairs, 6 surface, 1 tubing)
Snowfall	280 in (7.1 m)
Web site	http://www.coppercolorado.com

Copper Mountain and Breckenridge Ski Slopes, Colorado. Astronaut photo, October 24, 2008

Spaulding Ridge wildflowers, summer 2008.

Copper Mountain is a mountain located in Summit County, Colorado, about 75 miles (121 km) west of Denver on Interstate 70. Opened in late 1972, its most notable use is as a ski resort, owned and operated by Intrawest until Dec. 2009, when operations were sold to Powdr Corporation^[1].

The ski area features beginner slopes on the western side of the mountain, intermediate slopes in the center, and expert terrain on the eastern side. Advanced "double black diamond" slopes are located on the two peaks above 12,000 feet (Copper and Union Peaks), including four expert-only bowls: Copper Bowl, Union Bowl, Spaulding Bowl, and Resolution Bowl. Copper Mountain Ski Resort has 2,465 acres of in-bounds terrain under lease from the United States Forest Service, White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District.

Copper Mountain hosted the World Cup tour in 1976 with four alpine ski races: slalom and giant slalom for both men and women.

Nearby Attractions

Frisco, eight miles (13 km) east of Copper Mountain, is the closest town to the Village at Copper. Silverthorne is twelve miles (19 km) east the mountain. Copper Mountain is twenty miles (32 km) from Vail and five miles (8 km) east of Vail Pass. Leadville is twenty four miles (39 km) south west of Copper. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort, and Arapahoe Basin also lie within Summit County, Colorado.

The Eagles Nest Wilderness Area is immediately north of Copper Mountain. Across Interstate 70, the Gore Range Trail and Wheeler Lakes Trail ascend across an aspen meadow and north through a gulch lined with spruce and fir. A few miles north, the North Tenmile Creek Trail and Meadow Creek Trail descend into Frisco from the Gore Range Trail.

Copper Mountain is the starting point of Colorado's Copper Triangle, a road cycling circuit that is the home of the Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Cycling Classic. This event benefits the Davis Phinney Foundation, an organization committed to improving the lives of those with Parkinson's Disease.

In February, 2009, Woodward Camp opened a ski and snowboard training facility dedicated to terrain park and pipe progression. The 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m²) indoor facility features a Snowflex big air jump to a 55' long foam pit as well as a Snowflex slope with rails and boxes that end in a quarterpipe. The facility also features fly bed trampolines, a tumble track, skate bowls, mini-ramps, and a spring floor all dedicated to terrain park and pipe progression.

Resort

The lodging, dining, and entertainment facilities at Copper Mountain are divided into three villages: East Village, The Village at Copper (AKA Center Village) and Union Creek.

The Village at Copper - AKA Center Village is the main village at Copper Mountain. The American Eagle and American Flyer high speed quads provide mountain access out to the west, central, and east sides. The American Flyer accesses the generally easier terrain.

East Village provides access to primarily expert terrain on the northeast face of Copper Mountain. The East Village has the Super Bee high speed six pack coming for its mountain access and a brand new restaurant, bar, cafeteria, and base area. photo The Super Bee life, or "B" lift, is a high-speed six-person lift to the summit of Copper Mountain. Alpine lift, or "A" lift, is a double chairlift servicing mogul runs on the northeast area of Copper Mountain. These lifts should only be used by intermediate or expert skiers and snowboarders.

Union Creek at Copper Mountain is home to the Kokomo easy lift, High Point, Slingshot, Glide, and Rugrat lifts. This is predominantly the beginner or learning portion of the mountain. The main ski school is located on this side of the village and mountain. Above Union Creek, the American Flyer lift serves blue runs from Center Village. Timberline Express lift retrieves skiers and snowboarders from the intermediate terrain in the western meadows above Union Creek.

Notable Employees

Olympic medalist Sharon Cox worked here as a ski instructor for many years beginning in 1984.^[2]

Statistics

Elevation

• Base: 9,712 ft (2,960 m)
• Summit: 12,313 ft (3,753 m)

Trails

• Acres: 2,465 acres (9.98 km²)
• Vertical: 2,601 ft (793 m)
• Trails: 126 total (21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 18% expert)
• Average annual snowfall: 280 in (710 cm)
• Snowmaking 05/06 : 380 acres (1.5 km²)

View looking west from Copper Peak at Copper and Union Bowls at the Copper Mountain Ski Area

View of Copper Mountain's back side from Peak 8 of the Tenmile Range and Breckenridge Ski Resort

View looking up Copper Bowl at the Copper Mountain Ski Area

Ski run in the Union Meadows area of Copper Mountain

Lifts

• 22 total
  • 1 high speed six pack
    • Super Bee - photo
  • 4 high speed quad lifts
    • American Flyer
    • American Eagle
    • Timberline Express
    • Excelerator
  • 5 triple chairlifts
    • Sierra
    • Resolution
    • Rendezvous
    • Kokomo
    • Lumberjack
  • 5 double chairlifts
    • Alpine
    • Blackjack
    • Highpoint
    • Mountain Chief
    • Pitchfork
  • 2 surface lifts
    • Storm King
    • Gem
  • 4 conveyor lifts
    • Easy Rider
    • The Glide
    • Rugrat
    • Slingshot
  • 1 tubing zone lift

References

1. ^ [http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_13811097 Copper Mountain sold to Powdr Corporation
2. ^ "My Famous Friend". http://justformyboys.blogspot.com. http://justformyboys.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-famous-friend.html. 

• Copper Mountain History

External links

• Copper Mountain Official Website
• Copper Mountain Resort: Take a snow day at Copper
• 3dSkiMap of Copper Mountain
• Copper Mountain on Snowago.com

• "Greatest Hikes in Central Colorado: Summit and Eagle Counties". Kim Fenske. http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hikes-Central-Colorado-ebook/dp/B003ZUY8NM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1289177109&sr=1-1. 

• Woodward at Copper Official website